Swingletree safety trace-holding device.



c. L. & 0. DE BOLT.

SWINGLETREE SAFETY TRACE HOLDING DEVICE.

APPLICATlON HLED JULY 13. 1916.

1,251,968. Patented Ja n, 1;19 18;

. are sas a pro- CHARLES L. DE BOLT AND DAVID DE BOLT, 0F DES MOINES, IOWA.

SWINGLETREE SAFETY TRACE-HOLDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1916. Serial No. 109,196.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES L. Dn BOLT and DAVID DE BOLT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Swingletree Safety Trace-Holding Device, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to Provide a swingle tree safety trace holding device of very simple, and inexpensive construc tion adapted to prevent a trace from accidentally becoming released from the swingle tree.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind mentioned, which can be attached to any swingle tree, and used with various kinds of hooks or engaging devices thereon, in such a manner that part of the attachment will be held in frictional, yielding engagement with the hook device of the swingle tree for preventing the removal of the trace.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of the swingle tree equipped with a safety trace holding device embodying our invention, and

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged, rear elevation of one end of said swingle tree.

In the accompanying drawings, we have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a swingle tree of any ordinary construction, having at each end an ordinary trace engaging device or hook 11.

For better illustrating the device, we have shown a trace 12 having at one end a ring member 13 adapted to be extended over the hook 11 as shown.

Our improved safety trace holding device comprises a strip of leather or other suitable material 14, one end of which is secured to a contractible coil spring 15. The spring 15 may be secured to the swingle tree memher by means of a staple 16 or in any other suitable manner. In the. outer end of the strip of leather 14 is a slot 17 located longitudinally of the strip.

In the practical use of our improved device, the trace is secured to the swingle tree in the ordinary way, and thereafter the strip 14 is moved to position adjacent to the hook member 11., and then to position with the rearwardly extending portion of the hook member 11 received in the slot 17.

The parts are so constructed and arranged, that the tension of the spring 15 will then hold the strip 14 snugly on the hook member 11.

It is well known that under certain circumstances, when the traces become slack, as for instance, when the horse is holding the load back, the trace may come loose from the swingle tree, which sometimes results in dangerous accidents. Our device is intended to prevent the trace from so coming loose.

It will readily be seen that with our device installed in position, the ring'13 cannot be removed from the hook member 11 until the safety trace holding device is released.

It will be noted that the strip 14 has an outer end 18 projecting beyond the hook member 11, when the device is installed, and affords a handle which may be readily and easily gripped for manipulating the trace holding device for assembling it in position for use or for releasing it from the hook member 11.

The device is easily mounted on a swingle tree or removed therefrom.

It is made of material which is durable, and at the same time is very inexpensive.

It has no complicated parts and can be easily made and manipulated when in use.

Some changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of the parts of our device, and it is our intention to cover by this application any use of mechanical equivalents which may be included within the reasonable scope of our claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a swingle tree having a trace engaging hook thereon, with a movable member adapted to engage said hook for preventing the removal of the trace there* from, said member comprising a contracti;

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

ble spring secured to said swingle tree, and a leather strip pivotaily connected With said spring, said leather strip having at its outer end an elongated slot. 7

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a sWingle tree having a trace engaging hook thereon, with means for preventing the removal of a trace from said hook, said means comprising a contractible spring and a flexible strip pivotally con- 1o nected With said spring, having at its outer end an elongated slot.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 29, 1916.

CHARLES L. DE BOLT. DAVID DE BOLT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington,"1)f0.' 

